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“When you meet her you’ll understand.” Ambrose grunted and hefted his end of the desk.
Ba
“You just wanted to stick your dick in me.” Kate snorted.
“Yes,” both men replied.
Ba
“Oh, like that was a big fucking secret.” Ambrose rolled his eyes and shuffled backward when he got to the top of the stairs. If Ba
They moved into the main loft area and set the desk down to rest for a minute. “This fucker is heavy. There’s no way you’ll break this one.”
“Break it? You’ve broken desks before?” Kate asked.
“You don’t want to know.” Ba
Ambrose shrugged, looking around the rough space. He’d signed the lease only this morning, and managed to get everything else in without help, but the desk was too heavy.
It was more of a warehouse than an apartment, but it was warm, and he liked the open feel to it. There was a lot of room to cook, too, especially now that his new stove, fridge, table, and chairs had been delivered. There was a TV and a couch, too, but he’d been careful to choose things that made it look like he had a modest income. The bed was tucked into a corner, and he’d been hard-pressed not to buy top-of-the-line linens for it. Maybe having money was starting to make him a little snobby about some things.
They moved the desk into a big, empty space in the center of the room, and Ba
Ambrose gestured to a stack of boxes piled off to one side.
“It smells like new furniture in here.” Kate shook her head. “What are you going to do about that?” She laughed.
“Well, I’m cooking di
“Why don’t you just tell her the truth? This is crazy.”
Ambrose frowned, guilt niggling at his conscience. “I just can’t, Kate. Not yet. If she finds out now that I’ve got money, she’ll write me off in a heartbeat. I have to make sure it’s safe to tell her before I out myself.”
Ba
“Ambrose! I told you to throw that out like three months ago.” Kate tsked at him, but took the coats from Ba
Ambrose arched a brow at Ba
“Everly,” Ambrose corrected.
“I knew that.” Ba
Boxes of cutlery and kitchen implements went into drawers, clothes were unpacked, books went on a shelf. A few files, a stapler, and some BDSM equipment went into the desk drawers. He put his laptop on top of the desk to make it look less like a porn prop. Mismatched throw pillows went on the couch, and he and Ba
“Don’t make it look too perfect, Kate,” he warned. “Make it look like a man made it.”
She snorted. “Well, I could throw the pillows on the floor and shove all the blankets off to one side. That would make it look more realistic.”
“I don’t want her to think I’m a slob either.”
“I’m sorry to have to let you in on this horrible secret, but you are a slob.” Ba
“Fine. Make it so it looks like I’m a slob on my best behavior, then.” He sighed. “I told her I spent the morning cleaning.”
“When is she getting here?” Ba
“Two hours. I guess I’d better get the food in the oven soon.”
“What are you making?” Kate asked eagerly.
“I’m doing stuffed chicken breasts with a pesto cream sauce.”
Kate clapped her hands and gri
“Oh dear God. They’re food nerding again,” Ba
“There’s a mirror. I wasn’t sure where to put it.”
Ba
“Classy,” Ambrose grumbled.
“Oh, like you would have hung it anywhere else. Unless on the ceiling above the bed was a possibility.”
All three of them looked up, but the roof was a long way off.
“No blackboard?” Kate asked i
“Mmm . . . I really should get a blackboard,” Ambrose agreed.
“Don’t encourage him, woman!” Ba
“If she isn’t a pervert, she doesn’t deserve him.” Kate stuck her tongue out at Ba
“Just fuck her over there somewhere.” He waved them toward the living room area. “I need the table to get di
“I should find a piece of cardboard to throw down on the basement floor and remind her of what happens when slaves sass their Masters.” Ba
The sound of Kate’s whine reminded Ambrose of the noises Everly made for him at the restaurant earlier, and of the way she’d melted against him when he’d kissed her outside her shop. He glanced at his watch. Had it been two hours yet? Could he order her here sooner?
“I think we’re going to go now,” Ba
“I’m going to have to get a spray bottle to squirt you with when you start groping her in front of people. You’re married now. Isn’t the sex supposed to stop?” When he looked up, Kate was wearing her leather collar and looking up at Ba
For the first time in a long time, Ambrose wasn’t envious of what they had together. Instead, he imagined what Everly would look like in that style of collar. Brattier, he guessed.
And so fucking hot.
He’d been up late the night before, browsing collars on Etsy instead of working, but he kept having to take breaks because the idea of her wearing his collar was making him crazy. She would never be a good girl for him—not without him catching her off guard or blowing her mind—but that suited him just fine. Girls that were chronically good were boring.
“We’re leaving. Unless you need help with something else?” Ba